Who is the King of Your Home: God or You?
In “Can the Meditation of Our Hearts Help Predict the Success or Failure of Our Future Relationships”, we saw that the problem with Israel wanting a king was that they were rejecting the government of God. Leaders were only to enforce the laws that God had given; they weren’t supposed to enact their own laws. Deuteronomy 17:14-20.
Moses and Joshua, two great leaders, recognized God as king and pointed to people to His law.
How Did Following God’s Law Impact Moses and Joshua’s Leadership?
Moses said, “Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the Lord my God commanded me, that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it. Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.” Deuteronomy 4:5, 6. What was the fruit of Moses’ life? “Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.” Numbers 12:3.
“Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.”
Joshua said to his people, “And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” “Be ye therefore very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, that ye turn not aside therefrom to the right hand or to the left.” Joshua 24:15; Joshua 23:6. What was the fruit of Joshua’s life? The bible declares Joshua to have been a “servant of the Lord” “and Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that overlived Joshua, and which had known all the works of the Lord, that he had done for Israel.” Joshua 24:29, 31.
“‘The bible declares Joshua to have been a ‘servant of the Lord’…”
How Did Disobeying God’s Law Impact Saul’s Leadership?
When we look at Saul, a man who rejected the commandments of God and tried to enforce his own, we see the fruit of his life was despotic rulership.
“Then came the word of the Lord unto Samuel, saying, It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the Lord all night.” 1 Samuel 15:10, 11.
Here’s some examples of arbitrary reign of Saul as a result of him persistently breaking God’s law and seeking to enforce his own commandments:
1. Saul wanted to kill his own son Jonathan because Jonathan hadn’t followed his command to not eat honey. 1 Samuel 14:42, 43.
2. “…Saul spake to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that they should kill David”, a son in law who had done him no harm. 1 Samuel 19:1. “…David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan, What have I done? what is mine iniquity? and what is my sin before thy father, that he seeketh my life?” 1 Samuel 20:1.
3. Saul “said unto the footmen that stood about him, Turn, and slay the priests of the Lord.” 1 Samuel 22:17.
We can learn from Saul’s life that true happiness doesn’t consist in breaking God’s law. “….He that keepeth the law, happy is he.” “…Happy is that people, whose God is the Lord.” Proverbs 28:18; Psalm 144:15.
“Men cannot depart from the counsel of God and still retain that calmness and wisdom which will enable them to act with justice and discretion. There is no insanity so dreadful, so hopeless, as that of following human wisdom, unguided by the wisdom of God.” Conflict and Courage, 167.
Who is the King of Your Home: God or You?
How is it with us? When we seek to lead our homes, who do we recognize as being king: God or us? If we recognize God as king, then we will allow Christ to live in us and follow His rules for the home; we cannot make up our own laws like Saul.
“When we seek to lead our homes, who do we recognize as being king: God or us?”
For example, if God is our king, then we will follow this command: “Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath.” Ephesians 4:26. Do we follow this law, or do we ignore or it? To ignore this principle is to lay the foundation for despotic, arbitrary leadership in the home.
Who TRUELY is the king of your home: God or you?
To be continued…
Do you have any thoughts to add to this blog post? Please let me know in the comment section below.
Franklin Morris II
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